"Squadrons of death" terrorize the civilians of Chechnya
On 17 December 2002, at 20:30, in Lenin District of Grozny (at the junction
of Patrice Lumumba and Pervomayskaya Streets), Russian servicemen shot two
young people - Bislan Shakhidovich Yusupov, b. in 1971 and Timur Yusupov.
Both of them were militiamen. According to the eye-witnesses, six Russian
servicemen wearing white "maskhalats" and armed with special arms came to
the young people and shot them down. Then they took the gun of Bislan Yusupov
and disappeared. People living in the neighborhood say that the those were
the people of so-called "squadron of death". They noted that the detachments
of the "squadron of death" kill the Chechen young people, regardless of their
political views and civil position. First of all their victims are physically
healthy young Chechens, those who are called "strong guys". As to the young
people killed on 17 December in Grozny, Bslan Yusupov was about 2 meters
tall and weighed 108 kg. Bislan and Timur Yusupovs were buried on 18 December.
The Chechen Committee of National Salvation
Press Release #233, 23 December, 2002
Nazran, Republic of Ingushetia